The Doll Has a Name Chapter 29 - Invisible Hand

 

The absurdity had nowhere to go. Hert stood with his mouth agape, unable to close it.

 

What in the world? Who gives someone a verbal slap in the face like this? He’s making a fool of me, isn’t he?

 

I take back what I said about her being a sensible, normal woman. 

 

Completely take it back. He had encountered a new level of the bizarre.

 

Hert turned his wide, shaking eyes toward Leonhardt .

 

“Wh-what is with this woman?!”

 

Then Leonhardt, with his charming smile, amiably put his arm around Kise’s shoulder.

 

“Curious? She’s the person I live with.”

 

He naturally brushed a stray strand of hair from Kise’s cheek as he spoke. When his other fingers began to tickle her cheek, Kise forcibly removed his hand.

 

“Leo, that statement is somewhat open to misinterpretation.”

 

Wasn’t that a rather dangerous thing to say? 

 

But he just gave a mischievous laugh and didn’t correct his statement as she requested.

 

“We share a blanket.”

 

“We use the same type of blanket.”

 

“We share eating utensils, too.”

 

“We have a dining hall. We take turns cooking. Every three or four days. Weekends are free.”

 

“Still feel like talking to her?”

 

In other words, please leave now.

As if shooing away a persistent fly, Leonhardt flicked his wrist.

 

“If you have no further business, I’d like you to leave now. We’d like to be alone now.”

 

“These people…!”

 

“Ah, that’s right. That request you made to me earlier. If I’m in the mood, I might briefly weigh the pros and cons and consider whether to hear you out. So, you can rest assured and get lost now.”

 

“Then please have a safe journey. An unwelcome guest with a complicated story is never welcome.”

 

After an exchange of elegant glances, Hert turned away from his seat irritably. 

 

Kise didn’t miss the sound of him grinding his teeth, vowing to settle the matter another day.

 

“Who is that man?”

 

“A thief.”

 

“I asked what your relationship is.”

 

“An ally I can never become close to.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because he’s always coveting the money piled up here. He’s a Finance Ministry official.”

 

So, he’s a civil servant who takes away taxes.

 

“Will it be alright?”

 

Taxes greatly impact company operations. Since they had just provoked the man in charge of them, disadvantages could very well follow.

 

When Kise gently expressed her worry, Leonhardt softly stroked the back of her head.

 

“He’s not the type to lose his temper and seek revenge out of emotion. Surely he wouldn’t do something that childish?”

 

That childish thing—you’re quite good at it yourself. Getting back at people when you have backing.

 

“Don’t worry. Despite appearances, he’s a much better person than I am. He absolutely couldn’t do something like that.”

“Still.”

 

Kise stuck out her tongue slightly, unable to shake off her unease. 

 

After all, being marked as unpleasant by a Finance Ministry official is not a pleasant feeling.

 

He’s also from the Republic, so I doubt he’d turn on his own, but the world always has room for ‘what if.’

 

“You’ll have to be more agreeable next time we meet.”

 

“Next time? Why would you meet him again?”

 

“Just in case.”

 

“And if he steps out of line, just show him exactly how terrifying the high-handedness of a major corporation can be.”

 

“You sound like a villain.”

 

“Yeah, I am a villain.”

 

The corners of his eyes curved gently as his sculpted lips whispered sweetly. It was the chirping of a devil. 

 

Like a beautiful Lucifer who tempts humans and devours their souls.

 

To that extent, his words were sweet enough to soak into one’s very breath.

 

“I want you,” Kise said enchantingly.

 

“Me?”

 

“Yes, you. I’m jealous. You have such an innocent face, yet you can crush everything in your path.”

 

“You’re one to talk. You handled it all on your own just fine. Weren’t you worried you’d push them too far and make them sick of you?”

 

“Not at all. That was child’s play. Something between beginner and elementary level.”

 

“My chest is aching from it, though.”

My, what a smooth liar…

 

Kise, who had been staring straight at Leonhardt, suddenly slipped her hand inside his jacket without warning. Her sliding fingers wandered teasingly over his shirt, near his chest, where his blood was boiling.

 

Immediately, the man’s well-composed calm was shattered.

 

“Mmm…” 

 

Leonhardt couldn’t hold back a hot moan. It was a breathy sound, as if he had been deeply lost in pleasure.

 

Kise pressed down firmly on his chest, where she could feel the thumping of his heart.  

 

“Liar.”  

 

“Liar?”  

 

“Does it ache?”  

 

“Badly.”  

 

“It’s pounding pretty vigorously, though.”  

 

“That’s because I’m excited.”  

 

As Leonhardt leaned down as if about to collapse, his breath reached her forehead. It was a heat that felt like it could scorch her skin. 

 

Kise swiftly withdrew the hand she had placed there.  

 

Ah, please. Kise, come here…

 

Leonhardt moved to grab her wrist, but Kise indifferently handed him a stiff, crumpled stack of papers.  

 

“There’s something else to really get excited about, so calm down and look at this.”  

 

Ack! 

 

《The Shocking Truth of the Dinosaur Corporation  

 

On the 27th, M Company’s North Atlantic fleet, including the Geldelho and five other ships, ran aground near Banda Island. 

 

The value of the lumber on board is estimated at 1.3 to 1.4 million ducats, and a sharp surge in lumber prices is expected starting next quarter.  

 

M Company intentionally concealed this fact and has yet to provide a proper explanation.  

 

To prevent market chaos, G Company, a competitor of M Company, has decided to increase its lumber supply starting this month, stepping forward to ensure the stability of citizens’ livelihoods. 

 

The CEO of G Company is urging a boycott of M Company…  

 

—June 19th, Rikent Daily.》  

 

“What a waste of paper.”  

 

Without even finishing it, Leonhardt tossed the newspaper toward the trash can.

 

Even a passing dog could tell that the knight’s mention of “M” was referring to Maree Societe.

 

Moreover, the competitor “G” that stepped forward to cover up M’s faults—or rather, the one pretending to do so—was, of course, the Girash Merchant Company.

 

“They must have paid off the newspaper.”

 

But Leonhardt doesn’t react one way or another. He’s indifferent.

 

Ah, there was one reaction. He meaningfully acknowledged the Girash Merchant Company’s unsettling attempt. He remarked that they must have spent a fortune behind the scenes to get this article published.

 

“Finally, they’ve opened their eyes to noise marketing. I’m a little happy about it. As a villain. I feel proud.”

 

“Don’t take joy in the corruption of others. And right now, we should be thinking about how to resolve this.”

 

“The Girash Merchant Company has always held a grudge against us. If they’re coming at us looking for a fight, there’s nothing we can do about it.”

 

“Even so.”

 

“Didn’t you once turn their world upside down yourself?”

 

Me? When did I do that?

 

Kise blinked her large eyes in confusion, her eyelashes fluttering.

 

“You don’t remember? Rational destruction, reasonable destruction. Smash.”

 

“Ah.”

 

I remember. That showdown with the glass and crystal? So that was them.

 

“I remember now.”

 

“Yeah, from your perspective it was a dazzling debut, but for those on the receiving end, it was a critical hit. And if you just take a hit like that and do nothing, you’re no merchant.”

 

“But that was a justified response. It’s not exactly an issue for your side to be talking about revenge. If you lost because you lacked the skill, shouldn’t you just shut your mouth and accept it quietly?”

 

“Well, that’s not for us to decide. Whether revenge happens or not is up to the one seeking revenge, isn’t it?”

 

…Hmm, well, that’s true. So, he’s saying if they come at us demanding a fight, we have no choice but to respond.

 

Kise understood his words.

 

Leonhardt stomped firmly on the newspaper precariously perched on the trash can, crushing it.

 

With his hands in his pockets, he stomped on it decisively, like a twisted nobleman accustomed to a life of debauchery and indulgence. 

 

It looked exactly like he was exerting violence upon an inanimate object.

 

Crinkle, crunch—

 

The paper, trodden by his shiny leather shoes, crumpled and was then crushed into a long, cylindrical shape inside the bin.

 

Leonhardt, persistently stomping on it, wore a faint smile, but the heat contained within it was easy to feel.

 

“What a pointless prank.”

 

He might as well get angry and shout. 

 

That would be better. What did the poor newspaper ever do to deserve to be subjected to his sinister, murderous intent?

 

The ships indeed sank. And it’s also true, of course, that those ships were transporting large quantities of lumber. But the article left out what was truly important.

 

Banda Island, where the ships had run aground, was a place with a natural harbor. 

 

Following the manual, the crew safely evacuated, then used the timber from the ships to construct a breakwater and sent a distress call to the headquarters.

 

The ship meant to rescue them had already left the port quite some time ago.

 

So, in conclusion, the goods were merely delayed in shipping and were expected to enter the city safely.

 

The incident the knight was worried about would not happen.

 

‘The reason for not announcing the sinking…’

 

Nevertheless, the reason Leonhardt deliberately did not share that news was to avoid unnecessarily shaking the company’s stock price. 

 

If such information became known, it could foster unnecessary anxiety and cause the stock price to fluctuate.

 

‘The timber will arrive as scheduled. What we really need to worry about is the stock price.’

 

After shredding the newspaper to his satisfaction, Kise shared her thoughts with Leonhardt.

 

“The stock price will fall.”

 

It was a logical assumption.

 

People generally think a company’s value decreases when bad news emerges.

 

“It will be hard to avoid criticism until a corrective report is issued.”

 

“And you think it will stop at just criticism?”

 

“Then, do you think they will come to protest?”

 

“In the worst case, they might even try to kill me.”

 

“Don’t say such cruel things with a smile. Don’t you have any sense of crisis?”

 

Yet, Leonhardt continued to smile cheerfully.

 

What on earth is inside him, what is he raising and living on? 

 

Setting him aside for a moment, Kise first recalled the necessary steps she had to take, one after another, and then proceeded to act.

 

First, she canceled all of Leonhardt’s scheduled external appointments.  

 

Until the truth is properly uncovered, contact with outsiders must be minimized as much as possible. 

 

After that, she swiftly wrote a letter of protest and sent it to the Rikent Daily, providing all the necessary information for a correction report. She also asked other newspapers to run favorable articles that could help calm public opinion, using advertising contracts as bait.

 

While Kise was busily handling her tasks without delay, Leonhardt just watched her with drowsy eyes, his chin propped on his hand.  

 

When the clock chimed to signal noon, he suddenly sprang up.  

 

In front of Kise, who seemed too busy to even blink, he fluttered over with a playful expression. 

 

Adopting the classic pose of a man proposing with a ring, he knelt on the ground, resting his chin on the edge of her desk.  

 

“What is it? I’m busy.”  

 

“I’m hungry, Kise.”  

 

“How can you talk about food at a time like this? Stop chatting and go do your work.”